世論 What Japan Thinks

[part 1] [part 2] [part 3]

The Norinchukin Bank recently released the results of a survey they commissioned into fathers, their eating habits, and what they are teaching their children about food.

Demographics

The survey was conducted between the 22nd of November and 7th of December in 2006, amongst fathers living in and around the Tokyo area, with 400 men aged between 30 and 49 were interviewed. Although it is not clearly stated, I believe all the men surveyed were full-time employment.

The survey results were on the whole presented not in tabular form, but as highlights of the answers given to the posed questions. I will retain the same style in this write-up.

Part three and four looked at what food means to people, and what their thoughts are about food in the future. In Q5 of part three I was a bit disappointed to see there was no information about frequency of getting children to participate. I have the impression that male children especially did basically nothing to help around the house.

SECTION 3: What food means to your family

Q1: What are you interested in regarding food? (Sample size=400, multiple answer)

The top answer was delicious food or shops, with 36.8% holding that close to their hearts. Next was good for the body food at 36.0%, safety with 35.3%, and nutrition at 30.3%. Conversely, 22.5% said they weren’t particularly interested in anything regarding food.

Q2: What or who influences you regarding food? (Sample size=400, multiple answer)

Perhaps surprisingly, television at 51.8% just beat out wives at 48.0% as the top influence. Newspapers were third at 40.3%, then mother at 32.0%, father at 11.8%, magazines at 9.8%, and internet at 9.0%. Note that those in their thirties were more influenced by their wives than those in their forties, at 52.5% versus 43.5%.

Q3: Do you have a taste of home? What is it? (Sample size=400)

71.0% had a comfort food item that reminded them of their mother; the top was boiled food, followed by miso or other soups, rice, meat and potatoes, and curry.

Q4: What do you teach your children about food and meals? (Sample size=400, multiple answer)

The top was not to leave any scraps on their plates, with 73.0% telling their children this. Next was “itadakimasu” and “gochisosama”, roughly “bon appetit” and “that was delicious”, at 68.8%. 60.0% were taught not be fussy eaters, the only three answers that over half the respondents chose. Other items were 44.% telling their children not to put their elbows on the table, 32.5% taught their children not to eat talk with their mouths full (a shockingly low figure from a Western point of view!), and 29.3% advising their kids not to stuff themselves full of sweeties.

Looking at the breakdown in the stats in other ways, fathers with larger families were significantly more likely to tell their children not to leave anything, not to be fussy eaters, and not to put their elbows on the table. In fact this last one jumped from only 18.4% of single children to 67.6% of families with three or more.

Q5: Do you get your children to participate in things concerning food and meals? (Sample size=400, multiple answer)

The top was 58.3% getting their children to tidy up the dishes after meals. Second was 41.8% setting the table, then 30.0% helping with food preparation. 20.0% made their children do the shopping, 11.5% asked them to wash the dishes, 8.0% not to overeat, 6.8% took them fishing, and 6.0% took them to visit a working farm. 28.0% did not ask their children to do anything in particular. As one might guess, daughters were more likely to be asked to do things than sons.

SECTION 4: Food for the next generation

Q1: How interested are you in food safety? (Sample size=400, multiple answer)

Extremely interested	16.8%
Quite interested	50.8%
Not interested	32.5%

The top point of concern regarding food safety was regarding BSE, with 63.7% choosing that, then 60.7% in bird influenza, 57.0% worried about food additives, 50.0% about pesticide residues (apparently a problem with veggies from China, I hear), 37.4% about storage times, 34.4% about imported items, 27.0% about GM foods, 19.3% about “post harvest”, and 16.3% about environmental hormones.

Q2: What sort of food environment do you hope to see for the next generation? (Sample size=400, free answer)

The top desire was for additive and agro-chemical free safe and healthy food environment, with 141 choosing this. Next was more natural foods, and food grown with respect for the natural evnironment, with 68 votes. This was followed by more mundane concerns, like eating three balanced meals a day without being picky at 38 votes, all eating home cooking together at 36 votes, children to repect the importance of food, and be grateful to the person who prepared it at 34 votes.

[part 1] [part 2] [part 3]